Raths, Raths & Johnson, Inc. (RRJ), a national engineering, architecture and forensics consulting firm headquartered in Willowbrook, Illinois is pleased to announce that Lurita McIntosh Blank, AIA, NCARB, RBEC, REWC, RRC, RWC has joined the firm as a Senior Project Architect. A building enclosure expert in historic restoration, her background strategically broadens our enclosure consulting capabilities to expand our market share in historic restoration, adaptive reuse, and rehabilitation of existing structures. In this role, she will be responsible for project management, thought leadership, and client development across RRJ's expert architectural and structural engineering consulting practice.

"Lurita's experience and recognized building enclosure historic restoration expertise are well suited to RRJ's strategic growth," said RRJ President, Kurt R. Hoigard, P.E., SECB, F.ASTM. "Her leadership skills will enhance our client development efforts and the diversity of our enclosure consulting practice," said RRJ Senior Principal, Kenneth M. Lies, AIA.

Ms. Blank brings over 11 years of architectural experience specializing in building enclosure consulting in the areas of masonry conservation, facade restoration, roofing and waterproofing investigation and repair design. She consults on related enclosure performance issues involving historic restoration, adaptive reuse, and historic preservation. Her portfolio of experience includes numerous National Register and National Historic Landmark properties across the nation, providing technical insight to the balancing of materials and performance needs for enclosure rehabilitation and restoration. Several of her projects have been the recipient of historic restoration and rehabilitation design awards from the International Concrete Repair Institute (ICRI) and Masonry Construction magazine.

For new construction, she consults on building enclosure peer review, construction quality assurance, and commissioning, and the integration of roofing and waterproofing systems with the vertical enclosure.

Prior to joining RRJ, Lurita was a Senior Associate at Walter P. Moore, a global inter-disciplined forensics engineering firm. She was responsible for the leadership, project management, and business development of the firm's Diagnostics Group in New York. Previously, she was a Material Conservator within Walter P. Moore's Diagnostics Group in Kansas City, specializing in the project management of a wide range of historic restoration, enclosure, roofing, and waterproofing evaluations and repair design projects, and moisture infiltration investigations. She was a founding member of the firm's Building Enclosure Practice responsible for the implementation of the practice's strategic growth across multiple offices. Other prior experience includes her role as a Project Manager while associated with TreanorHL, Preservation Studio in Kansas City.

She earned a Master of Science in Historic Preservation from Columbia University in 2008 and a Master of Architecture from the Boston Architectural College in 2017. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Art History from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2005. A licensed Architect in Illinois and Missouri, she is certified as a Registered Building Enclosure Consultant (RBEC), Registered Exterior Wall Consultant (REWC), Registered Roof Consultant (RRC), and Registered Waterproofing Consultant (RWO), as well as is National Park Service 36 CFR Part 61-Historic Architecture (Qualified).

An industry leader in historic restoration, she has been active in the international organization and at the regional chapter level of the Association of Preservation Technology International (APTI), an interdisciplinary organization dedicated to promoting the best methods and materials to maintain, conserve, and protect historic structures and their settings. She is a founding member of the Central Plains chapter and past director, and is a current member of both the Western Great Lakes and Northeast regional chapters. She served on APTI's international organization board in 2008 and 2014-2018 and was the Co-Chair of the Conferences Committee. She is also a member of the American Institute of Architects and Landmarks Illinois.